August 26, 2010

Brady, Quinn launch dueling TV ads in governor's race

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican rival Bill Brady launched new TV ads today with the incumbent criticizing his challenger’s opposition to a tough firearm ban while Brady tries to portray himself as someone who can govern from farm to big city.

The dueling ads actually appear to be based on a similar theme—the belief that Brady, a 17-year state senator from Bloomington, remains not well known in the Chicago metropolitan area after winning the February GOP primary by fewer than 200 votes and with about 20 percent support in a crowded field.

Quinn’s ad notes Brady’s opposition to a ban on so-called assault weapons that a narrator said are “used to hunt people—and kill them.” With the video displaying a chalk outline of a body, the narrator asks, “Who is this guy? The more we learn about Sen. Bill Brady, the worse it gets.”

Brady’s ad features the Republican talking through a dizzying mix of jump cuts that put him on a farm, last week’s Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair, and ultimately atop a Chicago high rise that overlooks downtown.

“These are difficult times, but we can have a brighter tomorrow,” Brady says in the 30-second ad. “I’ll stop the insane borrowing and balance our budget without raising taxes on families.”

Both campaigns are spending about $250,000 to air the ad in the Chicago TV market, according to a source familiar with political television ad buys in the city who was not authorized to speak publicly.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

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